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Agenda item

Scrutiny Review Health Implications of Damp Properties witness evidence

Minutes:

The Chair introduced residents of Alderwick Court, who were present to give evidence in relation to this item.

 

 Ellis Turner, Environmental Health Officer from Environment and Regeneration Department.

 

The Committee were informed that Partners had been expected to be present but had not attended but that they would be invited to a future meeting. It was noted that Hyde Housing Association would also be attending a future meeting.

 

During consideration of the witness evidence the following main points were made –

 

·         Residents stated that there had been a number of health problems, especially in children as a result of the damp conditions at Alderwick Court suffering from asthma, bronchitis and other associated health problems. This also affected their attendance at school

·         Hyde Housing Assocaition had told residents that where there is evidence of mould tenants should scrub their walls with bleach, however this is not acceptable or dealing with the fundamental problem of the dampness

·         Residents felt that there were a number of problems with the block, which it is felt was not built to accommodate central heating etc. which included dampness in bedrooms, front rooms and in one case black mould spores had been found on a mattress in a child’s room

·         Adult residents also suffered medical problems from the dampness and these included abdominal problems and also the mental wellbeing of the residents concerned some of whom suffered from depression caused by their living conditions

·         Residents also complained of no thermostat to control their central heating and that despite repeated requests Partners had still not rectified this

·         Residents felt that there were a number of problems with the block including cold bridging, lack of ventilation, rising damp, and lack of insulation

·         It was stated that an independent survey that had been undertaken in one of the residents flats and this had shown that 71% of the flat  had dampness whereas the maximum should be 31%

·         Reference was made to the fact that the Committee would be interested to see evidence of dampness having an effect on health. The Committee requested that ant of the evidence referred to by residents concerning a letter from UCLH, the evidence referred to relating to health studies in the USA and the evidence referred to by Environment and Regeneration should be circulated to Members

·         Members were informed that this is not a problem confined to private sector or Housing Association properties and that a number of Council estates had dampness problems, particularly the Andover and Girdlestone Estates where the Council is intending to take remedial action

·         Reference was also made to the fact that a recent project had been undertaken at Holly Park Estate to put in insulation and this report had been submitted to a previous meeting of the Committee

·         Environment and Regeneration stated that they did have powers to enforce on Housing Associations remedial works and that dampness can be caused by a variety of reasons such as condensation, rising damp, defective rainwater goods, cold bridging, lack of thermal insulation, inadequate heating, lack of ventilation and poorly designed buildings

·         It was also stated that Council officers were also working in a multi-disciplinary way with Health and Social Care and the Whittington and on a child, health and wellbeing strategy including more preventative work, grants and street surveys. Environmental Health also worked closely with the Energy Team and 2018 will see the introduction of new energy efficiency regulations and that this needed to be recognised and to force landlords to comply

·         The view was expressed that dampness tended to aggravate existing conditions and that the Council had offered training to Housing Associations but this tended to happen when there had been non-compliance

·         Members stated that the Council no longer accepted the advice that dampness is often related to lifestyle choices by residents but that the reasons for the dampness were now being focused on

·         In response to a question Members were informed that there were better working relationships between departments than previously

 

RESOLVED:

That the information requested above in relation to evidence of links between health conditions and dampness be circulated to Members

 

The Chair thanked residents of Alderwick Court, and Ellis Turner for attending